How to Merge DBX Files

After you upgrade your computer or switch to another mail program, your existing email contacts and messages will still likely be invaluable to you. As long as you have backed up your computer prior to an upgrade, you can retrieve those DBX files from that backup and import them into your new email program. If you have created a new email account, you can merge in those DBX files. Either way, you will save time in re-typing, re-verifying and re-sending messages with email addresses that you thought you typed in correctly.

Things You'll Need

• Windows 7
• Windows Live Mail

Instructions

Import DBX Messages

1. Click the "Start" button and then type "Windows Live Mail" in the search box.

2. Click "Windows Live Mail" in the results list and then click the "File" menu.

3. Click "Import messages" and then click the e-mail program you want to import messages from.

4. Click "Next," click "Browse," and then click the folder that contains your email messages.

5. Click "OK," click "Next," and then check the box for "All Folders" if it is not already selected.

6. Click "Next," and then click "Finish" after the import has finished. Your important messages will be under "Storage Folders."

7. Click the "Start" button and then type "Windows Live Mail."

8. Click "Windows Live Mail" in the results list and then click "Contacts" in the lower-left corner.

9. Click "Import" on the Home tab and then click the kind of address book that you want to import into Windows Live Mail. (Note: Browse to the file, click it, and then click "Open," if prompted to search for the file.)

Delete Duplicate Contacts

1. Click the folder for which you want to delete duplicate contacts.

2. Click the "View" tab and then click "Change View." (Note: The "View" tab is located on the Ribbon.)

3. Click the "List" icon to change the folder view to table view.

4. Right-click any column heading, click "Field Chooser," and then click "All<item name>" fields.

5. Drag the "Modified" field to the table heading, and then identify the duplicate items from the originals by looking at the dates.

6. Click the "Modified" heading to sort the fields where duplicates and originals can be easily identified.

7. Click the first duplicate item you want to delete and then hold down the "SHIFT" key to scroll down to the last duplicate item you want to delete.

8. Review these items again and verify duplicates to be deleted, then press "DELETE."

Tips & Warnings

• All duplicates will permanently deleted when you apply the steps in Section 2, "Delete Duplicate Contacts."

References

• Microsoft Windows: Importing Your E-mail, Contacts, and Calendar into Windows Live Mail
• Microsoft Support: How To Remove Duplicate Imported Items in Outlook